Ringing toy bell



Mmch 279 w51 A. DAMAST RNGING- TDY BELT..

Filed Dec. 23, '1948 and down with the core.

Patented Mar. 27, 1951 RINGING TOY BELL Abraham Damast, Great Neck, N. Y., assigner to Criterion Bead & Novelty Corp., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 23, 1948, Serial No. 66,899

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ringing toy bells.

In prior constructions of ringing toy bells it has been customary to connect an operator directly to the bell in order to swing the bell back and forth to make it ring. This construction is objectionable since the operator, which is connected with the bell at all times, dampens the crystal clear ringing of the bell.

This invention has for an object to so oonstruct the ringing toy bells that the mechanism which swings the bells for ringing them is not permanently connected to the bells in order to avoid dampening at all times the crystal clear ringing quality of the bells.

More particularly, it is proposed to construct each bell with a vertical axis solenoid coil through which a vertical solenoid core is freely slidable. It is proposed to limit downward motion of the solenoid core to a position projecting from the bottom of the coil in order that the core may move into an up position when the coil is energized. An electric circuit with an interruptor is connected with the coil for periodically energizing it for periodically moving the core up. It is proposed to construct the bell with a dome v shaped top and to swingingly connect the center of said dome shaped top with the bottom of the solenoid core so that the bell will move up It is contemplated that the bell be provided with the usual swingingly mounted clapper for striking and ringing the bell when the latter swings.

It is an important object of this invention to arrange a cam on the bottom of the solenoid coil engageable with the dome shaped top of the bell for swinging said bell laterally in one direction when said solenoid core moves to its top position in order that said bell will swing laterally in the other direction due to gravity when said bell moves down. It is proposed that said core move down a sufficient distance in reaching its down position in order that said swinging bell avoids hitting or touching said cam on the down motion of the solenoid core so as not to muffle the crystal clear ringing quality of the bell at this time.

It should be noted that the bell will only be touched by the cam on the up stroke of the solenoid core. 'Ihe ringing of the bell will be slightly muffled during this period. However, it is proposed that the bells be used in a plurality of sets so that the muffled periods are staggered and during the greater period of the ringing operation the sound will be crystal clear. It is proposed that the muffled rings provide an interesting background for the clear rings of the bell.

Another object of the invention resides in arranging the cam as closeV vas possible to the center of the dome-shaped top of the bell iny order to have sufficient leverage to swing the bell through a relatively large arc, and furthermore in order to reduce the dampening effect of the ringing bell. It is known that the closer the bell is touched to the center' of the top, the kless interference there will be with its ringing.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a device as described which `is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is an elevational view of a group of ringing toy bells, illustrated in an inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of one of the bells, illustrated in a position in which the solenoid core is up.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but with the bell illustrated in a position in which the solenoid l core is down and the bell has swung to the fullest extent in the other direction.

The ringing toy bells, in accordance with this invention, includes a set of bells each of which is provided with a vertical axis solenoid coil I!) through which a vertical solenoid core l l is freely slidably mounted. The core il israssociated with means for limiting its downward motion to a position projecting from the bottom of the coil i0 in order that the core i i may move to an up position when the coil i0 is energized. This means comprises a non-magnetic stud I2 which is mounted coaxially on the top of the core Il and arranged so that its head engages the top of the coil Il] to limit downward motion of the core Il.

A bell M having a dome-shaped top l5 is swingingly connected at its center with the bottom of said core il. This swinging connection is accomplished with a small hook I6 mounted on the bottom of the core l l and engaging a small hook Il mounted on the top of the bell I4. The bell I4 is also provided with a swingingly mounted clapper I 8 for ringing the bell when the latter swings. This clapper is swingingly connected with a bottom portion I9 of the hook l'i. A cam 20 is mounted upon the bottom of the coil it and is engageable with the dome-shaped top l 5 of the bell it for swinging the bell laterally in one direction when the core E l moves to its top position in order that said bell l #i swings laterally in the other direction when the bell lll and the core il move downwards due to gravity. It is proposed that said core il move down a suicient distance to its bottom position in order that said swinging bell i4 avoids hitting or touching the cam 20 so as not to muiiie the crystal clear ringing quality of the bellat this time.`

The coil I is mounted in a non emagnetic tube 2I, of cardboard or fiber. A fiber washer 22 is engaged into the bottom of the tube 2I against... the bottom of the coil I0. The cam 26 is attached to said ber washer 22. Preferably, the cam 20 is in the nature of a piece of wire having aY cam-shaped bottom end 23. A'berwasher 213 is mounted in the top of the tube 2 I.

An electric circuit 25 is provided for a groupof the bells I4 and is connected with the coils I8 of the bells for supplying the required electric current. The circuit 25 includes an electric currentinterrupter 26:1--for periodically; interrupting the-current to the coils IIJ.'

The `operation of the-ringing bells may be un derstoodfrom the -following ty The interruptor 26 fperiodically interrupts the-A flow of current to the fcoils IU of the group', of bells.- Whenv current ows in the-.coils Ithe cores' I I -move upwards toY their' top positions. This lifts the bells I4-upwards and causes the dome-shaped tops I5 -to strike the cams' ZILiorc'-v ing the bells laterally'in one direction.` It is proposed that the cams 2G be quite close to thecen-k ters of the-dome-shaped tops' I5 in order to provide a mechanical leverage 'whichwill' swing `the bells Idthrough a relatively large'aro Another reason for having the cams 2Ilclose to the center of the dome-shaped topsof the bells is to reduce tofa minimum the. muiliingleiect' of. the cams 2B touching `the bells while they are ringing.

When the current is interrupted to the coils. I!! the 'solenoidsr become de-energized and the .cores IIa-and lbells Id fall to their /downpositions'due to gravity. In the down position of the bells they are-moved out of contactwith the cams 20 and therefore swing from their original positions to' positions inthe other direction, asy illustrated in" Fig. 3. It is important that the parts'be so' designed that thel bells 'I do not touch the Ycams 2Q 'when swinging'in said otherV directions so'as not to muiile the ringing of the bells during these Each bell will'swing back and forth'aV that clear ringing bells will be staggered with! some ofthe muffled rings occasioned when vthe cams 2S touch the dome-shaped tops I5'of the bells, in order that the muffled rings form a back# ground for the clear rings of the bells.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, itis to be understood that I do not limit myself to the preoise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claimas new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is t 1. In ringing toy bells, a vertical axis solenoid coil, a vertical solenoid core freely slidable through said coily means for limitingdownward motion of 'said solenoid core to a position projecting from the bottom of said coil in order that said core may move to an' up position when said core is energized; av bell having a .dome-shaped top swingingly connected at the center of its top with the bottom of said core andalso having a swinging-ly.A mountedv clapper for. striking and 4 ringing said bell when the latter swings, a cam mounted von the bottom-of sadfcoiizand engageable with said dome-shaped-top for swinging said .bell laterally in one direction when said core moves to its top position in order that said bell swings laterally in the other direction when said bell` moves down due to gravity, and said core moving #down asuicient distance to its down position in order that said swinging 'bell avoids hitting or touching said cam so as not to munie the crystal clear ringing of said bell at this time.

2. In ringing toy bells, a vertical axis solenoid coil, a vertical solenoid core freely slidable through said coil, meanslor limiting downward motion ofzsaidfsolenoid: core tto apositionprojecting from the bottom-oftsaidcoil in order that said core may move to an upposition when said core isV energized, a'bell having-fa dome-shaped top swingingly connected at the center Vof its top withN the "bottom of'said coreand` also having a swingingly mounted 'clapper for striking and ringing saidrbell wlienlfthe latterv swings', a cam mounted on the bottom :of vsaidi'coil" and engage-- able with saidJdome-shaped top for swinging said bell laterally-in' one direction --when said core moves to' Vits top'lposition in order that said bell swings laterally'in the other" directionwhensaid bell Ymoves down'` duefto' gravity; and said core moving down a suihcient"distance-toits down position in order that said swinging beu avoids hitting or touching Asai'd cam. so i asznot to` muiile the crystal clear ringing of` said bellat. this.' time,

said Vcam'beingclose to the center' ofsaid domeshapedA top in order to have suicient'leverage to'` swing said bell throughfallarge arc:

3.- In ringing toy rbe'llsfa vertical axis solenoid coil, a vertical solenoid core freely slidable` through said coil, means for'limiting downwardmotion of said solenoid core toa position proje'cting from the bottom-of said coil in orider that said core may move tor anup position when said core is energized, a bellhaving a dome-shaped top swingingly connected at the center ofY its'top with the bottom of said core and-alsohaving a swingingly mounted clapper for-striking'and ring-V ing said bell when vthe-latter swings, a cam mounted on the bottom of 'said coil and engage'- able with said dome-shaped top for swinging said bell laterally in one direction when said core moves to its top position in order that said bell swings laterally in the other direction when said bell moves down due to gravity, and said core' moving down a suiicientdistance to its down position in order that said swinging bell avoids l hitting or touching said cam so as not to muflethe crystal clear ringing of said bell at this time, said means for limiting downward motion of said core comprising a non-magnetic headed stud mounted on. said coreland having; its head engageable with the top of said coil.

ABRAHAM -DA'MAST.

REFERENGES CITED The following referencesare of record in thenle ofV this patent:

UNITED.STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,143,270 Hudson* June-15, 1915 2,470,047- Nicorvo- May "10, 1949- FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date.-

3,106 Great Britain Jan. 25J 1887-- of: 1886Y 

